Sickle and cutter-bar for harvesters.



' PATENTED JUNE 7, 1904.

JEFFERSON D. TEETERS, WILSON J. TEETERS'& WILLIS J. TEETERS.

SICKLE AND CUTTER BAR FOR HARVESTERS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, 1903.

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W/ T/VESSES:

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PATENTED JUNE 7, 1904.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23. 1903.

'ATTOHN I JEFFERSON D. TBETE-RS, WILSON J. TEETERS & WILLIS J. TEETERS; SICKLE AND CUTTER BAR FOR HARVESTERS.

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WITNESSiS' UNITED STATES Patented. June 7, 1904,

PATENT OFFI E.

JOHN TEETERS, OF NEVVTON,NEBRASI A.

SICKLE A-ND ouTT'ER-BAR FOR HARVESTEHS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 762,104, dated June 7, 1904.

Application filed JuneEZS, 190s.

To all whom it may conccrnp Be it known that we, J EFEERSON DAVIS TEETERS, WILSON J ACKSON TEETERS, and WILLIS JOH TEE'IERS, citizens of the United, States, and residents of Newton, in the county of Cherry and State of Nebraska, have in vented a new and Improved Sickle and Cutter-Bar for Harvesters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to an improvement in rotary sickles for harvesters or other cutting apparatus; and the purpose of the invention is to so improve the construction of an endless chain of sickle-knives and their connections that the knives will have an inclined cutting edge and a straight-opposing back edge, and to so connect the sickle-knives with the carrying or propelling chain thatfeach knife will be in close relationand supported by a link of the carrying or propelling chain,

. and so that the heel of one knife at its cutting edge will be in close relation to a heel of the back portion of the next forward knife, where- I by the'cutting edge of one sickle-knife does not completely leave a guard-finger until the heel of the cutting edge of the next knife enters the finger, thus insuring a perfect, constant, and uniform cut with, the least possible resistance to the action of the endless chain of sickle-knives,.and as the sickle-knives are arranged close together in the said chain of knives it is not necessary to impart rapid movement to the sickle-chain. g V

Another purpose of the invention is to so mount the chain of sickle-knives upon the cut ter-bar as not to interfere with raising'and lowering the cutter-bar as desired, and so that the forward andrear stretches of the chain of sickle-knives are maintainedinapproximately straight lines and inapproximate parallelism,

and so that the forward stretch of the'chain cannotmove backward or upward .or'down- Ward, insuring the sickle-knives during the cutting operation being positively held 1113,1303 their Work. I. V

The invention consists in the novel con struction and combination of the several parts,

as will be hereinafter fully set .forth, and, pointed out in the claims. I,

2 2 of Fig. 1.

Serial No. 162,772. (No'model d Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a horizontal section through the Support for the cutter-bar carried by theinner shoe of the machine and a plan viewof the cutter-bar and the endless chain of sickleknives, the cover or protecting plate being removed. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section through the cutter-bar and endless chain of sickle-knives carried thereby, the

coveror protecting plate being in position and the section being taken practically on the line Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken practically on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, illustrating in detail the tension or take-updevice used in connection with the. endless chain of sickle-knives.

tail perspective-view of the front portion of the cutter-bar, a guard-finger extending there- Fig; 4 is a defrom, and the sickle-knife, together with alink of the chain carryingthe knife and adjacent connecting-links, which figure also illustrates the manner-in which the, forward portion of the forward stretch of: the endless sickle-chain is held against vertical movement ordisplace- 12, and a rear upwardly-extendinglongitudi-- nal flange 14E, of greater height than the front flange, from which flange 14 a plate 15 is horizontally and: rearwardly projected, as is best shown in .Fig. 2. At the upper portion of the frontflange 12 an. angular bar 13 is secured in any suitable or approved manner, the,.horizontal member. 13 whereof, as is show'n in Figs. Qand 4,-extends inward and rearward over the' bottom portion a of the .said-eutter-bar aipredetermined distance, and practically the .upper edge of the vertical -member of the angularbar 13 extends flush I with the rear horizontal plate "15, while the jupper surface of the said plate l5 is above the horizontal plane of the upper surface of the horizontal inwardly-extending member 13 of the said angular bar 13. We desire it to be understood, however, that the angular bar 13 may be made integral with the guards, if desired.

The cutter-bar A is provided with the necessary number of guard-fingers B of the usual type, the said guard-fingers being provided with rearwardly-extending members 6, adapted to engage with and to be attached to the bottom portion of the cutter-bar, and the forward portions of the guard-fingers B extend upward in front of the cutter-bar and above the cutter-bar and are provided at their upper rear portions with the usual slots 10, adapted to receive the sickle-knives to be hereinafter described. In order that the cutting edges of these knives may be practically kept sharp while the knives are in operation and in order to effect a quick severance of the material to be cut, the slot in each fin- 1 ger-guard B is made deep enough to receive a piece 11 of hardened steel at its bottom portion, against which the bottom edge of the sickle-knife passing through the slot 10 of a guard-finger will have engagement, as is shown in Fig. 2, and this strip or piece 11 of hardened steel in each guard-finger B has its upper face practically flush with the upper edge of the vertical member of the upper front longitudinal bar 13 of the cutter-bar A, as is also shown in Fig. 2.

The dished portion of the cutter-bar A is protected by a cover-plate 16, which is attached through the medium of a downwardlyextending flange to the rear edge of the rear I extension-plate 15 from the cutter-bar, and

this cover-plate 16 is then carried forward until it practically reaches the inner edges of the guard-fingers B at their upper portions, as is also best shown in Fig. 2. This coverplate 16 is supported near its forward .end

' upon a longitudinal rib 17, which extends upward from the bottorna of the cutter-bar A. This rib 17 terminates" short of the ends of the cutter-bar, as is illustrated in Fig. 1, and is parallel with the front flange 12 of the cutter-bar.

1n the bottom central portion of the cutterbar A, near its outer end, a longitudinal opening 18 is made, and at the outer end of the opening 18 a lug 19 extends downward from the cutter-bar, and a corresponding yet preferably narrower lug 20 is made to extend downward from the cutter-bar at the inner end of the said slot 18, as is best shown in Fig. 3. A bracket 21 is mounted on the cutter-bar A over the slot 18, and this bracket 21 is provided with a lower section 22, which extends downward through the slot 18 and has free movement the length of the said slot, as is also shown in Fig. 3. A pin 23 is passed through the outer end of the bracket 21, and around this pin between the members of the bracket a sleeve 23 is preferably loosely mounted. Upon this sleeve 23 the hub of a wheel 2 1is mounted to turn between the members of the said bracket 21, a portion of the wheel extending outward beyond the said bracket, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 3. This wheel 24 is provided with any desired number of peripheral teeth 25, and preferably the spaces between the teeth are somewhat of a V shape, as is shown in Fig. 1, although said spaces may be U-shaped or rectangular, if found desirable.

The bracket 21 and the wheel carried thereby are laterally adjustable indirection of the length of the cutter-bar A by means of an adjusting-screw 26, which passes through a suitably threaded longitudinal opening in the lower extension 22 of the bracket 21, as is shown in Fig. 3. The said adjusting-screw 26 at its outer portion is mounted to turn in the lug 19, extending downward from the cutter-bar A and heretofore referred to. The outer portion of the adjusting-screw 26, fitted in the said lug 19, is provided with a collar 27, which prevents the said adjusting-screw 26 from having end movement, yet permits said adjusting-screw to freely turn. The said adjusting-screw 26 may be turned by means of a key of any desired description, preferably fitted over the outer end 28 of the adj usting-screw, which is polygonal in cross-section, as is shown in Fig. 3, while the other end, 29, of the adjusting-screw 26 is reduced and turned, so as to have afree bearingin the inner lug 20, opposed to the lug 19, as is also shown in Fig. 3.

The outer end of the cutter-bar A is su pported by the usual shoe C, and the inner end of the cutter-bar A is attached to or is made integral with an inner shoe C. Above the inner shoe 0' ahousing30 is located,adapted to be su pported in any suitable or approved manner from the main frame of the harvester or cutting apparatus. In the construction of the housing 30 its forward and end portions are bifurcated, forming thereby outer members 30 and inner members 30. Between these members 30" and 30 of the housing 30 knuckles 32 are carried upward from the inner shoe 0 near its outer edge, as is shown in Fig. 1. Sleeves 33 are made to pass through the knuckles 32 and into the members 30 and 30" of the housing, as is also shown in Fig. 1, and through these sleeves 33 a shaft 31 is made to pass, prevented from end movement by cotter-pins located at its extremities, although other means may be employed for the same purpose.

Below the shaft 31 a plate 34 is located, being attached at its ends to the knuckles 32. This plate 34 serves to journal the upper end. of a vertical spindle 35, which at its lower end is journaled in the cutter-bar A midway between the front and the rear edges of the main portion of the cutter-bar. A wheel 36 is secured on the said spindle 35 below the plate 34, corresponding in position to the upper portion of the cutter-bar, and at each 7 wheel 24; but the wheel 36 is preferably of greater diameter than the wheel 24, and it is provided with peripheral teeth 37. An opening 38 is made in the transverse plate 34, and through this" opening a portion of a bevelgear39 extends downward, which bevel-gear is fast to a sleeve39, loosely-mounted on the shaft 31 and extending from one side of the housing to the other. This bevel-gear 39 meshes with a horizontally-located bevel-pinion 40, secured upon the spindle 35 below the transverse plate 34, and at the forward end of the sleeve 39 a bevel-pinion 41- is secured to said sleeve Within the housing 30. The sleeve 39 serves to connect the gear-wheel 39 and pinion 41, so that they will revolve together. It also serves asa brace for the housing 30.

The pinion 41 is engaged by the teeth of a master bevel-wheel 42, which is preferably of the ring type and is provided with spiderarms 43, extendin therefrom in direction of the frame of Y the machine with which the cutter-bar is to be connected. These spiderarms 43 are attached to -a suitable hub 44, which hub 44 is secured on a shaft 45, adapted to be driven in any suitable or approved manner from the main frame of the harvester or cutting apparatus. As the knuckles 32 are carried by the inner shoe C, when the cutterbar changes its position the position of the knuckles also changes, and the plate 34 will hold the spindle 35 at its upper end,while the lower end of the spindle is secured in the cutter-bar.

tion of the said spindle 35.

Thesickle-knives E are carried by anendless chain D, the links whereof are pivotally connected, and these links are adapted to pass around the wheels 24 and 36 at opposite ends of the cutter-bar, the endless chain traveling in the dished body portion of the said cutterbar, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The links are of two kindsnamely, carrying-links 46 and connecting-links 47. ,The carrying-links -46 consist of a central; division-section 46,

having concaved sides, which division-sections are of sufficient height to practically rest upon the bottom a of the cutter-bar and extend upwardly substantially flush with the upper surface of the inwardly-extending guide member 13 of the angular capping-bar 13 at the front side of the said central division-section 46 an eye 46 is formed. These eyes are at the bot tom portion of the carrying-link andmay be in direct contactwith the bottom of the out ter-bar, as isshown in-Fig. 4. In completing the construction of the carrying-link 46 sleeves 46 are made integral with each terminal eye 46, which sleeves extend upward a desired distance and are cupped at their upper ends, usually terminating slightly below the upper face of the central division-section 461 M car y ng-l nk, as also Shown inF Therefore as the cutter-bar changes its position it will likewise change the posi- 4. The cohstruction of the carrying-link is completed by forming, preferably, a beveled tooth 48 integral with the inner end of the central division-section 46, as is also shown in Fig. 4.

The connectinglinks 47, which alternate with the carrying-links'46,'are practically the reverse of the carrying-links in that each of them consists of a central division-section 47, corresponding to a central division-section of a carrying-link 46, andeye-terrninals 47, which extend from the upper portion of the central division 47 as is also shown in Fig.4, and the division-section 47 of each connectinglink 47 is provided witha tooth 50, corresponding in shape and dimensions to a tooth 48, forming a portion of the carrying-link 46.

In making up the chain D the terminal eyes 47 of the connecting-links 47 fit closelyover the sleeves 46 of the terminal-eyes 46 of'the carrying-links 46. In order that the chain at its forward stretch shall not rise upward and will be kept in uniform horizontal position, the carrying-links 46 are provided with outer longitudinal rib extensions 49, which travel beneath the guide member 13 of the front cap-bar 13 of the said cutter-bar, as is also shown best in Fig. 4.

ting edge 51 at one side, upwardly beveled and longitudinally inclined, while. the opposing side edge 52 of a sickle-knife E is straight. Thus these knives are much narrower at their outer edges than at their inner edges, and each knife E is provided with a flanged shank 53 at its inner end, dropped downward from the upper edge of the knife, and these flanged shanks are made to conform to and fit upon the carrying-links 46 of the chain. The flange portions 53 of the knives E are secured to the carrying links at their centers by suitable screws 54, which are made to enter the central division-sections 46 of the carrying-links 46, and pins 55, suitably headed, are passed through the end portions of the shanks 53 of the sickle-knives E and loosely through the eye-terminals 47 of the connecting-links 47 and the sleeves 46 and eye-terminals46 of the carrying-links 46, as is shown in Fig. 2. The shanks 53 of the knives E, resting upon the chain D, pass closely over the upper surface of the horizontal member 13 of the angular bar 13. In the construction of the chain D, as noted, the top portions of the sleeves46 are hollowed out, said portions being slightly lower than the central division-sections 46,

top are practically level or flush with the said central division-sections. The knivesE where they rest upon the sleeve 46 of the chain D are depressed or have collars. produced upon the under surfaces of their shanks to fit into the hollows in said sleeves 46, allowing rivet or screw heads to be drawn down, enabling the shanks of the knives to present practically while the rims of the said sleeves 46 at the smooth surfaces to the cover-plate 16, whereby the latter may fit closely to the shanks of the knives. In securing the knives E to the carrying-links either screws or rivets may be employed at their centers to enter the central division 46, and where the pins 55 are passed through the shanks of the sickleknives and through the sleeves 46 screws may be substituted. The sickle-knives at their shanks 53 rest securely upon the central division-sections 46 and upon the top portions of the sleeves L6 of the carryinglinks. By means of the knives resting upon the carrying-links 46 the terminal eyes 4.7" of the connecting links 47 are permitted to pivot freely upon the sleeves 46 of said links. The connected links of the chain D do not pivot upon the pins 55, but upon the sleeves 416. Thus it will be observed that while each carrying-link has a sickle-knife E firmly secured thereon the various links of the chain D are pivotally connected, and at the forward stretch of the chain D the teeth of the connecting and the carrying links engage with the forward face of the rib 17 so that the links are kept up to their work and cannot sag rearward, being kept in perfect alinement with the front of the cutter-bar. It will also be observed from the arrangement shown and described that the knives E are close together, the heel of the cutting edge of one knife being close to the heel of the straight or back edge of the knife in front, so that one knife cannot entirely pass a guard finger until the cutting edge of another knife has entered it, thereby producing a continuous cut of the material without detrimental strain on the knives or the chain D carrying the knives.-

The teeth of the chain D are made to enter the spaces between the teeth on the wheels 24 and 36, and by the rotation of the wheel 36 motion is imparted to the said chain, and as the knives follow one another quite closely and have a relation to each other as has been described it is not necessary to cause the chain D to travel very fast in order to obtain effective service. Furthermore, under the arrangement of the chain and the knives carried thereby the knives are not liable to clog.

The sickle-knives E at the forward stretch of the chain D pass readily through the slots 10 in the guard-fingers B, the lower edges of the cutting portions 51 of the knives being brought into engagement with the hardened lower walls 11 of the said slots 10, and in the back stretch of the chain the sickle-knives E extend over the upper face of the back member 15 of the cutter-bar. During the entire operation of the device the chain is protected by the guard-plate 16, so that it cannot possibly be clogged by any material, such as grass or grain that has been cut, as such material is prevented from reaching the interior of the cutter-bar. It will be observed also that the cutter-bar A may be raised and lowered without any inconvenience whatsoever with reference to the knife-carrying chain, and it is obvious that while we have shown the cutterbar as tapering, diminishing in direction of its outer end, it may be made of the same width throughout, if desired, in which latter event the two wheels, with which the teeth of the knife-carrying chain D engage, would be of the same diameter.

- Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A cutter-bar consisting of a bottom section, forward and rear flanges extending upward from the bottom, a horizontal guide member extending rearwardly from the forward flange of the cutter-bar, a horizontal member extending rearwardly from the upper portion of the rear flange of the said cutterbar, guard-fingers attached to the bottom portion of the cutter-bar and extending upwardly at the front above the forward flange of the cutter-bar, a cover-plate attached to the rear portion of the cutter-bar and extending close to the rear of the guard lingers, toothed wheels mounted to revolve in the said cutterbar at each end between its front and its rear flanges, a driving mechanism for one of the said wheels, an endless chain passed around the said wheels and having teeth to enter the spaces between the teeth of the wheels, and sickle-knives attached to sundry of the links of the said chain, which knives at the forward stretch of the chain pass through the said finger-guards and at the rear stretch of the chain pass over the horizontal rear extension of the said cutter-bar, the knives being provided with inclined cuttingedges and with opposing plain back edges, the cutting edges of all of the knives inclining in the same direction, as set forth.

2. A cutter-bar consisting of a bottom section, forward and rear flanges extending upward from the bottom, a horizontal guide member extending rearwardly from the forward flange of the cutter-bar, a horizontal member extending rearwardly from the upper portion of the rear flange of the said outter-bar, guard-fingers attached to the bottom portion of the cutter-bar and extending upwardly at the front above the forward flange of the cutter-bar, a cover-plate attached to the rear portion of the cutter-bar and extending'close to the rear of the guardlingers,

toothed wheels mounted to revolve in the said cutter-bar at each end between its front and its rear flanges, a driving mechanism for one of the said wheels, an endless chain passed around the said wheels and having teeth to enter the spaces between the teeth of the wheels, and sickle-knives attached to sundry of the links of the said chain, which knives at the forward stretch of the chain pass through the said finger-guards and at the rear stretch of the chain pass over the horizontal rear extension of the said cutter-bar, the knives be' ing provided with inclinedcutting edges and with opposing plain back edges, the cutting edges of all of the knives incliningin the same direction, and an inner vertical guide extending upwardly from the said cutter-bar and arranged between the wheels carried thereby,

with which guide the teeth at the forward stretch of the chain engage, one guide preventing the chain from having vertical movement and the other guide preventing the chain from having lateral movement, as described.

3. In harvesters and similar cutting apparatus, a chain consisting of carrying and connecting links alternately arranged, the carry ing-links being each provided with a central division-section terminating in a tooth andterminal eye-sections at each side of the central division-section, which eye-sections are belowthe plane of the-upper face of the central division-section, the connecting-links consisting each ofa central division-section also terminating in a tooth and upper terminal eye- 'sections adapted for registering engagement with corresponding terminal sections of the carrying-links, pivotal connections between the overlapping terminal eye-sections of the links, and sickle-knives secured to the central division-section of each carrying-link, and pivot-pins passed through the said sickleknives and through registering terminal eye- Sections of the carrying and connecting links, pivotally connecting the various links of the chain, for the purpose set forth.

4:. In a harvester, a cutter-bar having shoes at its ends, a toothed wheel mounted at the outer end of the cutter-bar, a vertical shaft carried by the cutter-bar at the inner'end thereof and provided with a toothed wheel and a pinion above the toothed wheel, a horizontal shaft, a sleeve on the shaft, a gearwheel on the sleeve intermediate of its ends and meshing with the pinion of the vertical shaft, a pinion on the end of the sleeve, and a master-wheel meshing with thelast-named pinion, as set forth.

5. In a harvester, a cutter-bar, a shoe at the inner end of the cutter-bar, a housing, an aper-' tured plate secured to the housing, a vertical shaft having its lower end journaled in the cutter-bar and its upper end in the said plate,

a pinion on the shaft below the said plate, a horizontal shaft mounted in the housing, a sleeve on the shaft, a gear-wheel on the sleeve between its ends, said gear-wheel projecting 

